Cerebrate
Cerebrates were zerg brood leaders. They were originally created by the Overmind as intermediate commanders. They were massive versions of the original zerg insectoids.Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. The true form of a cerebrate was revealed only after death. In the case of Zasz this was a ball of yellow light with extruding tentacles.Rosenberg, Aaron (June 1, 2006). StarCraft: Queen of Blades. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7133-4. After extended service cerebrates gained the right to a name as a sign of prestige. Role in the Swarm Cerebrates were descended from the original zerg parasites that existed before the coming of the xel'naga, albeit being much larger and endowed with much greater intelligence. Upon creation by the Overmind each cerebrate and the brood it led was given a specific role which in turn shaped the cerebrate's personality. Cerebrates further expanded the zerg hierarchy and came to rely on queens to oversee hive activity and overlords to relay commands to and directly control the brood's minions. While the rigid hierarchy ensured efficiency the permanent death of a cerebrate could induce a complete reversal. Broods that lost their cerebrate frequently became uncontrollably destructive.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Culling (in English). 1998. Cerebrates also oversee the evolution of the Swarm.Neilson, Micky. "StarCraft: Hybrid." Amazing Stories 601 (Spring 2000): 70-75.Private Ayers: "I thought it was ridiculous to consider a population of organisms as some sort of collective unconsciousness that could react to threats with a gestalt reasoning apart from the whole." Serl Gentry|Captain Gentry: "'Gestalt reasoning'? Private, I'll give you high marks for vocabulary, but you've just used a lot of fancy words to describe the widely accepted zerg cerebrate concept. It's certainly nothing new or groundbreaking." Dayton, Cameron. "Broken Wide." (March 5, 2010). Blizzard Entertainment. Broken Wide Accessed 2010-03-05. Psionic powers and link to the Overmind Cerebrates possess detection abilities that are similar to that of the overlord. Cerebrates are often (perhaps always) powerful psychics, but these powers are usually limited to a specific area. For instance, one cerebrate may be able to create and reincarnate the powerful Torrasque,StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Enslavers bonus campaign, mission 3B: "The Final Blow" (in English). 1998.StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: To Chain the Beast (in English). 1998. while another may be able to fill its structures with vital energy. Reincarnation and Weaknesses While the Overmind was alive, it could reincarnate a cerebrate through the use of cosmic energy. This type of energy is also used by the Dark Templar, who can kill a cerebrate and prevent its reincarnation. The first time this happened, Zeratul killed Zasz, cerebrate of the Garm Brood, and he created a mental connection with the Overmind. From this connection he learned of the Overmind's connection with the xel'naga and its plans for the protoss race,StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Shadow Hunters (in English). 1998. while the Overmind learned the location of Aiur in a form it could use. The Overmind went into some kind of depression following this, and did not recover until the zerg completely destroyed the Garm Brood.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Eye for an Eye (in English). 1998. Since then, other Cerebrates have been destroyed by the Protoss in a deliberate attempt to "distract" the Overmind. Although their link with the Overmind granted them virtual invulnerability, it was not without its weaknesses. Cerebrates were not designed to exist without the Overmind, and were unable to sustain themselves for long after its death - a vulnerability which drove them to create a new one following the first Overmind's death.Chris Metzen, StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-03. SC:L Metzen Interview - Lore Exclusive. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-18 The Psi Disrupter was also able to inhibit reincarnation, at least temporarily. Cerebrates appearing in StarCraft A significant number of cerebrates appear in various missions in StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War, although not all are identified beyond any doubt. Many cerebrates are also mentioned in the series, including the novels and the instruction booklet of the original StarCraft game; many cerebrates die in the series. Player Character Cerebrates The player in both StarCraft I zerg campaigns plays as a cerebrate. In the original StarCraft campaign, a new cerebrate was created in order to nurture Sarah Kerrigan as she was transformed from a terran into an infested terran and powerful zerg psionic agent.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Among the Ruins (in English). 1998. This cerebrate was killed on Char by Tassadar some time after Kerrigan's rebirth into the Swarm.Rosenberg, Aaron (June 1, 2006). StarCraft: Queen of Blades. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7133-4. In the Brood War campaign, the player assumes the role of a cerebrate forced to work for Infested Kerrigan.StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Vile Disruption (in English). 1998. However, there is evidence to suggest Kerrigan kept at least this cerebrate alive, assisting with her advanced infested terran project.Neilson, Micky. "StarCraft: Hybrid." Amazing Stories 601 (Spring 2000): 70-75. The player is a young cerebrate in StarCraft: Insurrection, tasked with conquering Brontes IV.StarCraft: Insurrection. Aztech New Media. Zerg campaign, mission 1: “Syndrea's Demise” (in English). 1998. The player is an unnamed cerebrate in StarCraft: Retribution, tasked with acquiring the Argus Stone.StarCraft: Retribution. WizardWorks Software. Zerg campaign: “Dynamic Evolution, mission 1: "Cutting off the exits” (in English). 1998. Other Cerebrates Named Cerebrates *''Araq'' of the Jormungand Brood *''Auza'' of the Incubus Brood/Atticus Carpenter of Carpenter's Brood *''Daggoth, "Senior Cerebrate" of the Tiamat Brood. It was responsible for the creation of the second Overmind.'Kerrigan:' "Apparently, many of the renegade Cerebrates, commanded by Daggoth, have merged into a new Overmind. Fortunately, the creature is still in its infant stages. It can't control the Swarm yet, but Daggoth and the others still have control over most of the Broods." ''StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Quest for Uraj (in English). 1998. Daggoth was slain at an unknown point during or shortly after the Brood War. *''Gorn'' of the Baelrog Brood. Widely viewed as insane. Slain by Zeratul on Aiur.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Shadow Hunters (in English). 1998. *''Kagg'' of the Surtur Brood *''Kaloth, a mysterious cerebrate, part of the New Swarm and creator of Infested Stukov. *Nargil'' of the Fenris Brood, in charge of adding new species to the Swarm. *''Zargil'' of the Sennith Brood *''Zasz'' of the Garm Brood, had a bad relationship with Infested Kerrigan. Zasz was the first Cerebrate that had ever been permanently killed. Zeratul dispatched it.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Culling (in English). 1998. Unnamed Cerebrates *An unnamed cerebrate in charge of the brown Grendel Brood was killed by Zeratul at about the same time Gorn was permanently killed. *In the StarCraft: Enslavers missions, Alan Schezar gained control of another cerebrate, but it was killed.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Enslavers bonus campaign, mission 3B: "The Final Blow" (in English). 1998. *Early in the Brood War, the Dark Templar killed two cerebrates studying the xel'naga temple.StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Legacy of the Xel'Naga (in English). 1998. *While the Psi Disrupter was active, the United Earth Directorate killed three more.StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: To Chain the Beast (in English). 1998. Fate of the Cerebrates Following the death of the Overmind, Daggoth orchestrated the creation of a new Overmind from the fusion of a number of cerebrates. The Renegade Swarm controlled at least half of the zerg in opposition to Infested Kerrigan.Kerrigan: Queen of Blades. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-10-13. As of Infested Kerrigan's ascension as a ruler of the zerg, the cerebrates were nearing their end. The cerebrates who didn't follow Kerrigan's leadership were all but destroyed on Shakuras as the result of an "alliance" between her and the protoss settling on that world.Blizzard Entertainment staff. 2008-04-16. The Story so Far... Part 2: The Brood War. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2008-04-16. Some cerebrates merged into the new Overmind, which was ultimately destroyed.StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: To Slay the Beast (in English). 1998. Following the death of the second Overmind, the remaining cerebrates were killed'Infested Duran:' My Queen, with the Overmind and its cerebrates destroyed, all of the Zerg in this sector have reverted to your direct control. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: The Reckoning (in English). 1998. by the Dark Templar which had been manipulated by Kerrigan.2008-03-10. Zerg. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2008-03-10. The lack of a controlling force was a partial explanation for their deaths. An exception to the rule was a group known as the "New Swarm", of which the cerebrate Kaloth was part. Kerrigan also retained at least one cerebrate which aided her in her infested terran project. However, following the Brood War, all the cerebrates have been hunted down and exterminated by Kerrigan's forces; there are none left "as far as we know",Metzen, Chris; Chambers, Andy; StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-03. BlizzCon 2007 StarCraft Lore Panel Editorial. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-18. as Kerrigan has no use or desire for them. References Category:Zerg breeds Category:StarCraft Zerg NPC units Category: StarCraft Zerg Special Buildings